2008/11/24

Pirates & Islamists

.Here are some German articles on the Islamists vs. Somali pirates conflict.I've read about rumors that both were allied - there's at the very least a significant exception.

The despised Islamists might still/again be the only effective force for order in Somalia, the area is apparently extremely complex.

All three articles are in German.The story; some Islamists were pissed off by Somali pirates because these captured a ship from a Muslim country (unofficially probably because of a lack of protection money, who knows?). They moved into pirates safe havens in search for them and apparently scared them.

The super tanker was captured off the coast of Kenya - a pretty clear indication that simple convoying would require too many ships for too long. The problem is not only off the Northern Somali coast.

It would be a great short-term move if the Islamists vs. pirates move was somehow the result of diplomacy or intelligence agency's efforts. It's often good to let others do the dirty work, especially if this means to ally with who was previously considered as hostile.That's likely an optimistic interpretation, though.

We should have been friends with the Somali Islamists all along.They had authority, power, restored order and the closest thing to national government since 1991.Furthermore, they were afaik bound together by the country's religion, not so much by tribe allegiance.

We should have treated them well, made friends and influenced them with soft power over time to a moderate domestic and friendly foreign policy.AQ and other troubles cannot grow roots where we have friends instead of alienated foes.

We should really end the anti-Islamists crusade and return to a policy that cools down & avoids conflicts instead of serial production of foes & conflicts.

I've seen a call for considering pirates as allies vs. Islamists which is simply mad, not the least because the pirates (tribe) doesn't seem to be powerful.